|
Motivated to
Succeed - In Sports and Life
By Kipp Hanley
Goal setting is one of the best things a young child
can learn. A successful child is more likely to
become a successful adult. That success can be
derived from many aspects of life, including
physical fitness and individual and team sports.
Former Marine Corps drill instructor, Gunnery
Sergeant James Erwin said his mother was
instrumental in his becoming a successful athlete,
well before he had success as a Marine. Erwin’s
father died when he was four years old, leaving his
mother to raise him as a single parent. Her strong
work ethic, which was instilled in him at a young
age, helped Erwin excel in football, wrestling and
baseball at his high school in Chattanooga,
Tennessee. “Looking back, the hard work I put into
athletics, I know now I put it into my job and the
Marine Corps,” said Erwin, who has received the Navy
and Marine Corps Commendation medals, the Navy
Achievement medal with one gold star and the Combat
Action Ribbon with one Gold Star. “Hard work is
natural to me and I attribute this to my mother.”
No matter what one's family situation, the goal is
to motivate children so they reach their fullest
potential, whether they grow up to become Marines,
doctors or professional athletes. Here are a few
helpful hints designed to instill the desire to
succeed in your child:
1. Don’t force a sport or activity on your child.
Ask your child, “Do you like the sport or activity
you are doing?” If the answer is “yes”, then offer
encouragement to stay with it. If the answer is
“no”, allow your child to try something different.
This opens conversation with your child about what
he or she enjoys in sports and exercise, and may
help you find the right fit for your child’s
interests and talents.
“I will give him a few choices and I know that he
will pick one,” said Erwin of his five-year-old son
James Dale Douglas Erwin III. “So for 20 or 30
minutes, we will run and play. He is happy and
indirectly aiding his health,”
2. If your child begins to favor one particular
sport, adhering to a weekly schedule will help teach
organization and discipline. Encourage your child to
follow a set schedule if he or she is into running
or jogging or wants to exercise like mommy or daddy
every day.
There are many running schedules that can be
downloaded off the Internet. Place the schedule on
the refrigerator for your child to see. Then
completed runs can easily be checked off and the
next day's challenge set as a goal. If your child
sticks with it, encourage him or her to take on the
challenge of a local kids event, like the Marine
Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run.
3. Use examples of people who achieved their dreams.
For instance, future Hall of Famer Michael Jordan
was cut from his freshman basketball team before
eventually becoming one of the best players in the
history of professional basketball. While your son
or daughter may not become the next Jordan, Tiger
Woods or Michelle Wie, providing concrete examples
of those that have succeeded in the athletic arena
can inspire children to become successful at
whatever endeavor they choose. Woods’ dream as a
young child was to beat Jack Nicklaus’ record 18
majors. At the age of 30, he’s already more than
halfway there.
Erwin noted, ”I have vowed to my wife that I will
not push our son into any sport until he really
enjoys it. Then it will be full throttle, 100
percent development to become the best at that
sport.”
4. Finally, praise your child when he or she does
well, but don’t offer snacks as a reward for a
well-played game or the game-winning goal. The U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services says that in
order to keep your child healthy, give verbal praise
or reward with fun activities, not with food. This
tactic will keep your child full of confidence
without being filled with junk food.
Erwin points out that using positive language with
your child can help him or her become a more
successful adult. “I think that a child who receives
praise for positive results will carry that over to
adulthood. As parents, we want our children to do
well in everything, but we have to provide them with
many opportunities to find something that they are
motivated to do and enjoy.”
Children should be encouraged to develop goals while
they are having fun growing up. It doesn’t matter if
their goal is to make the basketball team or just to
finish the Healthy Kids Fun Run. Having dreams and
pursuing them through hard work and goal setting
gives children an idea of what is required to enjoy
success. Chances are it will make them a much
happier, healthier and well-adjusted child and
adult.
Articles in the Health Kids Series are presented by
the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run to be
held on the final Saturday in October 2007. Visit
www.marinemarathon.com for more information. The
one-mile run welcomes children ages 6-13. Kipp
Hanley is the Marketing Coordinator for the Marine
Corps Marathon. No federal or Marine Corps
endorsement implied.
|
